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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
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Joe Thomas & Chris Beesley & Connor O'Neill

Everton line-ups v Minnesota United as James Tarkowski and Lewis Warrington decisions made

Joe Thomas - I would go 4-3-3 and relatively strong

This will be a good test for Everton. Minnesota United are in good form and more than 20 games into the MLS season, so should be match fit and confident. Of course, if this was a competitive game, you would expect Everton to win.

But pre-season games are essentially an extension of training and this is predominantly about fitness. It also a chance for Frank Lampard to learn more about his players, particularly those in the academy or who were on loan last season.

Lampard wants to be able to play four at the back. He also needs to find a number six and in doing so has to explore options within his squad. I would use tonight to see how far Everton are from the end product he is he working towards.

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So I would go 4-3-3 and relatively strong. With uncertainty over Asmir Begivic’s availability for the start of the season due to an ankle issue, I would start one of the young keepers who may end up on the bench for Chelsea. In the second half I would be keen to see Isaac Price and Ellis Simms get minutes after Stanley Mills, Lewis Warrington and Reece Welch impressed against Arsenal.

Simms is an interesting one. After a couple of successful loans and with Everton having few options up top, it will be worth considering whether he could be the understudy to Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

My team: Crellin; Mykolenko, Tarkowski, Godfrey, Patterson; Doucoure, Gbamin, Iwobi; Gordon, Gray, Calvert-Lewin.

Chris Beesley - Tarkowski to come in

I've never been a fan of playing three centre-backs - certainly of Everton deploying the formation - but a big part of that is down to their unfamiliarity with the tactic so given that Frank Lampard seems to like to line up that way, the Blues may as well give it another go in Minnesota and keep trying to fine tune it.

The 2-0 loss to Arsenal saw a bit of a mix and match approach to give as many players as possible a run-out and it might be a similar story against Adrian Heath's side although personally I'd pick what I see as being the strongest XI right now.

I'm not too sure whether Yerry Mina can manage two games in a week so he misses out in the heart of defence, along with Mason Holgate as former Burnley pair Michael Keane and new signing James Tarkowski both come in.

As Lampard himself has admitted, there's a big number six-sized hole in his midfield right now and as much as we'd all love Dele Alli - who started in Baltimore - to come good next season, he's not going to fill it so Alex Iwobi, who improved in a more defensively-minded role for the new manager last term, gets his chance there with Demarai Gray and Everton's new number 10 Anthony Gordon deployed as wide men.

My team (3-4-3): Pickford; Tarkowski, Keane, Godfrey; Patterson, Doucoure, Iwobi, Mykolenko; Gordon, Gray, Calvert-Lewin.

Connor O'Neill - Warrington given nod in midfielder

It's still very early days in terms of preparation for the new season so there will be mix-and-match sides in either half. It would be no surprise if Frank Lampard fielded two separate teams.

The first-half team then sees Jordan Pickford in goal, Nathan Patterson at right-back, James Tarkowski and Michael Keane in the centre, with Vitalii Mykolenko at left-back.

In midfield, Lewis Warrington should be given the nod next to Abdoulaye Doucoure with Dele in front of them. Anthony Gordon should start on one wing, with Alex Iwobi on the other, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin should be tasked with leading the line.

For the second half, one imagines Yerry Mina, Ben Godfrey, Mason Holgate, Tom Davies, Andre Gomes, Demarai Gray and Salomon Rondon will all get minutes.

My first-half team (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Warrington, Doucoure; Gordon, Dele, Iwobi; Calvert-Lewin.

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